The trial of the former president of Brazil is entering the final phase

The coup trial of the former right -wing president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, will enter his last stage on Tuesday.

He is accused of having certified an attempt to stay in power after losing his candidacy to be re -elected in 2022, which led to his supporters and to vandalize government buildings in the capital, Brasília.

A panel of five judges from the Supreme Court is expected to make a verdict by September 12.

Bolsonaro has always denied any reprehensible act and said the accusations were politically motivated.

His cause was adopted by US President Donald Trump, who described the “witch hunt” trial, using it as justification to impose prices of 50% on certain Brazilian goods and sanction the judge of the Supreme Court leading to the procedure.

If it is convicted, Bolsonaro could incur more than 40 years in prison. It is expected that he could be present in court for at least the first and last day of this last phase of the trial.

He and seven other accused who worked closely with him are faced with five counts, all linked to the attempted coup.

Bolsonaro was accused of leading an armed criminal organization, of trying to abolish the violent abolition of the rule of democratic law, an attempted coup, damage to federal goods and the deterioration of the listed heritage. Each accusation could cause sentences of several years.

The allegations go back before his supporters stormed government buildings on January 8, 2023.

Following an in -depth investigation, the police alleged that he and other officials had planned acts to abolish the law of democratic law and keep him in power in 2019.

Police said he had a “full knowledge” of a plan to murder Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva – who at the time was the elected president – with Lula running mate and the Supreme Court Judge Alexander of Moraes.

The investigators cited a dialogue captured between the alleged conspirators and the meetings at the presidential residence which say they support the accusations.

Jair Bolsonaro is also accused of having called a meeting with the best commanders of the armed forces in December 2022, in which he would have presented them with a proposed coup plan and asked them to join.

The army and Air Force commanders refused, but the commander of the Navy Almir Garnier Santos – Co -defendant of the trial – expressed his support, according to the police. The commander denied allegations.

Bolsonaro and his allies, including his former Defense Minister Walter Braga Clean, are also accused of having encouraged Bolsonaro allies to attack commanders of the armed forces on social networks so as not to join the state plan. Braga Clean denied any reprehensible act.

Bolsonaro is already forbidden to present yourself to re -election in the next Brazil elections in 2026 after having used social media and state television to question the Brazilian electoral system and electronic voting machines without proof.

After Bolsonaro lost the 2022 elections very closely against Lula, his supporters organized demonstrations and roadblocks across the country.

During the months preceding the elections, he had sowed a doubt without evidence on the electoral process, and after the results, he did not concede the defeat.

On January 8, 2023, a week after the inauguration of Lula, crowds of its supporters wearing yellow Brazil football shirts walked through Brasília. They burst and vandalized the Congress, the Supreme Court and the Presidential Palace. It included the vandalization of the statues, the glass breeze and the fire to the chair of the chief judge. This led to clashes with the police.

Bolsonaro moved away from riots at the time and criticized the methods on social networks, but continued to affirm that the elections had been stolen.

He is currently under house arrest, forbidden to travel and wears a label of ankle – after the authorities were worried to be able to flee the country or ask for political asylum in an embassy.

Judge Cristiano Zanin, a former Lula lawyer who is now chairman of the Committee of the Supreme Court in charge of the Bolsonaro trial, will open procedures at 9:00 a.m. (12:00 GMT).

He will call judge Alexandre de Moraes – whom Mr. Bolsonaro considers his main opponent – to read a report describing the case.

The Attorney General, Paulo Gonet, should then read the accusations against Bolsonaro and his co-accused.

One of the eight men tried, the former assistant of Bolsonaro, Mauro Cid, signed a advocacy agreement in exchange for evidence and his lawyer will be the first to speak.

The other lawyers of the accused will then take their turn to speak on behalf of their respective customers, who all denied the accusations brought against them.

The judges will then vote one by one. A majority of three of the five votes is necessary to judge a guilty defendant.

Each judge can recommend a sentence for guilty recognized people.

Bolsonaro and its co-accused can call on the complete Supreme Court if it is found guilty.